DH and I originally started trying to conceive in February 2011, but a couple months later I ruptured my ACL and had to have my second knee reconstruction in June, so we had to put baby hopes on hold. I recovered well and we resumed TTC in August. Over new years, DH went east to be in his best friends wedding, I followed the week later, but I was due to ovulate smack in the middle of the week he was away so we wrote the cycle foff, and I got stuck into the beverages I was expecting AF to arrive towards the end of the second week of January. I'd felt off for a few days, and was having intense cramping, so I thought yep AF is coming. Over the first weekend the cramps were so bad I'd considered going to hospital but just rode it out. My boobs ached and I was tired, so tired! So on Tuesday afternoon (4/5 days before AF was due) I POAS. Positive! It was an internet cheapie, I'd just come home from work and thought urine probably isn't diluted enough.. I'll try another one later to confirm. I held out until around 9pm and sure enough, another positive. I did a little dance while racking my brains out trying to establish when this happened considering we had barely DTD (only 2 or 3 times in 2 weeks!). Straight away DH said I should have this baby at home. I knew his sister had her 2 kids through the Community Midwifery Program here in WA, and I got in touch with them straight away. Our families were totally supportive (bar my dad and brother who were hesitant and insisting hospitals were there for a reason). At our first appointment with the midwife, we were 100% sure this is what we wanted. We had trust in my body, in God, and the midwives.
Fast forward through an easy pregnancy to 39 weeks. I was well and truly ready to meet this baby, I felt like I'd been pregnant forever and it didn't seem like I would ever actually have a baby, that I'd just live out my days with this awkward belly. My midwife came over for my weekly check up and attempted a stretch and sweep, my cervix was soft and low but not quite enough open to do the sweep, though she could feel the head. Baby was in the perfect position, head way down and presenting perfectly. You'll have this baby before your next check up, she said. Pffffft. Due date came and the midwife did another stretch and sweep, 1-2cm dilated, perfect position. I'll go to bed early tonight and await your call, she said. Cue contractions! Yeehaa! And... they fizzled out DH had a tradie booked for early Thursday morning to do some work, and 9.30pm Wednesday he said he was going to bed because of course the baby will come when we actually have something booked! I'd been having niggling contractions since 4pm but I didn't say anything, I didn't want to get his hopes up because I'd been having lots of prelabour and he was getting disappointed with the non-action.
2am I woke up with a killer contraction. I smiled to myself and I knew this was it. They were painful enough to have to jig my leg for distraction and take a deep breath. I slept between them, but at 4.30am I had to get up and move around. I knelt down, leaning on the fitball rocking through contractions while watching terrible early morning TV as a distraction. At 5.30am I told DH it was time to get up, I needed him to rub my back. At 6am I called the midwife as the contractions were now 45 seconds long and coming every 2-3 minutes. She arrived, and checked me over while DH started filling the pool. Baby had turned to posterior, which explained the intense back pain I was having – I couldn’t actually feel any pain in my abdomen at all. I was 3-4cm dilated and the contractions were ramping up. I texted the student midwife and DH called my mum. I was calm, rocking on the fitball while DH applied perfect pressure on my back. This is it, I’m having my baby and I’m doing it like a pro!! Contractions were now were less than 2 minutes apart, so the backup midwife was called – golly this is going quick! I started throwing up regularly, I couldn’t keep any water down – even wetting my lips made me hurl. But I had to keep hydrated so I kept sipping water in between the contractions.
I don’t know what the time was, but I had to get in the pool. I needed some extra relief. The midwife agreed – she figured I’d have progressed by now. The water was amazing. I sunk into the warmth, breathed slowly and was in the zone. Oh how I was made for this I thought. Contractions ramped up again, the pain in my back was becoming unbearable and I turned into a madwoman. I laboured for a few hours like this, the midwives just sipping tea in the other room leaving me with DH and mum. Then they came in, I had gone from heavy breathing and moaning to intense grunting and some screams during the contractions which were lasting 60 seconds plus. They thought I was in transition, and were asking me if I was feeling any pressure to pooh. No, I insisted. And again they asked, are you sure?? Nope. That’s when things went downhill...
The midwife looked concerned and asked if I wanted to know where I was at. I agreed. 4cm. Are you freaking kidding?! 4cm!!?? I could see the disappointment in the midwive's faces. I felt deflated. God, I can't do this anymore. If I was 8, 9cm sure I'd keep going - but 4cm?! I couldn't do it. I freaked out, I was crying and vomiting and DH started to freak - thankfully the student midwife was amazing and got him together. I managed to calm down, and talk of rupturing my membranes was mentioned. I got out of the pool. That was hell. Sheer hell. And for some reason, the contractions slowed to about 5 minutes apart. But I knew I needed help with this and told them to call the ambulance, I needed some more pain relief. I still couldn't feel any pain in my abdomen, just the back. Baby's heartrate was ok, not bad, not great, just ok. No signs of distress - it was me that couldn't hack it. Just get this baby out, I can't take anymore of this.
We arrived at King Edwards at about 2pm and I tried the gas. It was not helpful at all, and I made the decision to have an epidural. I was exhausted. But now I'd started to feel a bit traumatised, here I was with all sorts of cords and needles sticking out of me. Once the epidural started working, I regained composure. It's ok, I tried. The doctor did a cervical exam and I was still only 4cm, so the membranes were ruptured. Meconium. Oh for flip sake what next?! Baby wasn't distressed at all, but the doctor suggested syncotin. I hesitated. I didn't want unnecessary intervention, couldn't we see if the breaking of the waters would speed things up first? In the end, DH and I agreed but insisted that no more interventions were to be performed unless either of our lives were threatened.
So, I layed on my back and got some needed rest, every now and then joining the conversation. Thankfully I was able to 'labour' with the people I already knew (CMP midwives are allowed to attend at the back up hospital) and none of the hospital staff bothered us. However shortly after, my midwife had to leave as they can only do 12 hour shifts and 2 of her other patients had gone into labour, and she handed over to a beautiful, supportive and re-assuring midwife. At 6pm we asked for a check to see where things were at - now we were just impatient! I opened my legs and was told I better start pushing!! But, I had no idea when, the epidural had removed all of my natural urges so I was guided through. But by 7pm, my perineum hadn't stretched and the midwife suggested an episiotomy. What next I thought?! I said no, the baby isn't distressed. So, I kept pushing for the next 10 minutes. The midwife again asked if I consented to an episiotomy, if it wasn't for the meconium she'd let me keep going, she was gentle but firm. I agreed, but freaked out. Tears, screaming, disappointment. The second she cut me though, out came my son!
Finally! He was placed straight on my chest, covered in meconium. I don't know when the placenta came out, but it was totally green. Jaxon Cooper I knew was his name, looking at DH as we were asked what we were naming him. But we said nothing, just smiled. I guess they started stitching me up, but all I could do was stare at my son, who immediately started to feed. Bliss.
Total labour just under 17 hours
Agpars 9:9
Birth weight 3910grams
Length 54cm
Head circumference 37cm
Congratulions .... and for what it is worth i think you made a great call in getting to the hospital ... listening to ones body is the best options especially when it comes to precious cargo!! Well done and how is little Jaxon Cooper now ?
Congratulations on the birth of your son and thanks for sharing your story. You did amazingly well and it sounds like you had some awesome midwives and partner helping you.
I tried vbac twice (vba2c this year) and ended up with a third c/s. My unterine scar was really really thin and they could see baby through it and had I not got pre-eclampsia and had another c/s they weren't sure if the scar would have ruptured in labour. Just mentioning this b/c it was easier for me to accept the birth we had and that I'd done everything I could (acupuncture, chiro, prenatal yoga, hypnobirthing etc) and still had a c/s and the journey was fantastic and I did a lot of self-care and nurturing that I probably wound't have done if I'd had an elect c/s booked.
You did such a great job and I hope that you're proud of yourself! Well done and enjoy your newborn cuddles.
You did such a great job getting your baby earthside! Congratulations!! I'm sorry you didn't get to stay home but I think you should be so proud of yourself for trusting your instincts and am so glad you had a great midwife and were well looked after when you got to hospital. Welcome Jaxon!!
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I am really sorry for you that it wasn't the labour you wanted. I hope lots of cuddles with your son help to heal some of your emotions.
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Little Jack's arrival to earthside
I was expecting AF to arrive towards the end of the second week of January. I'd felt off for a few days, and was having intense cramping, so I thought yep AF is coming. Over the first weekend the cramps were so bad I'd considered going to hospital but just rode it out. My boobs ached and I was tired, so tired! So on Tuesday afternoon (4/5 days before AF was due) I POAS. Positive! It was an internet cheapie, I'd just come home from work and thought urine probably isn't diluted enough.. I'll try another one later to confirm. I held out until around 9pm and sure enough, another positive. I did a little dance while racking my brains out trying to establish when this happened considering we had barely DTD (only 2 or 3 times in 2 weeks!). Straight away DH said I should have this baby at home. I knew his sister had her 2 kids through the Community Midwifery Program here in WA, and I got in touch with them straight away. Our families were totally supportive (bar my dad and brother who were hesitant and insisting hospitals were there for a reason). At our first appointment with the midwife, we were 100% sure this is what we wanted. We had trust in my body, in God, and the midwives.
DH had a tradie booked for early Thursday morning to do some work, and 9.30pm Wednesday he said he was going to bed because of course the baby will come when we actually have something booked! I'd been having niggling contractions since 4pm but I didn't say anything, I didn't want to get his hopes up because I'd been having lots of prelabour and he was getting disappointed with the non-action.
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